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The World Health Organization-Caregiver Skills Training Program, a parent-mediated early intervention facilitated by non-specialist providers piloted in urban India was evaluated using mixed-methods for feasibility and effects on child and caregiver outcomes. Caregivers (n = 22) of children (2–9 years) with social-communication delays participated in a single-group pre-post study. High rates of caregiver attendance, improved caregiver fidelity, and facilitator competency suggested program feasibility. Caregivers voiced acceptability of various intervention-components. The intervention was associated with improved caregiver-reported skills and knowledge (p < 0.00), reduction in stress (p = 0.03), improved child developmental outcomes on communication and social interaction (p < 0.00), and adaptive behaviors (p < 0.00). Challenges about logistics and availability of time were highlighted. Implications of results in resource-poor settings and recommendations for future feasibility trials are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective teaching methods are important in psychiatry. Previous studies have focused on the assessment of students about the effective teaching methods but not on a self-assessment by teachers. Aims: Primary objective is to evaluate the teachers' and students' perspectives of effective teaching methods in psychiatry for medical undergraduates. Secondary objectives include assessment of the concordance of each item and exploring innovative teaching methods. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study design used in teachers and medical students from St. John's Medical College, Bangalore (India). Methods and Material: A modified teachers and medical students perspectives of effective psychiatry teaching methods were used. Statistical Analysis: Differences in continuous variable assessed with independent sample-test and categorical variables with Chi-square test. The Domain scores were divided into tertiles and the highest and lowest tertiles were analyzed. Results: Both students and teachers had high perspectives on most of the teaching methods. Differences were found in items such as "using multimedia slide effectively," "good sense of humor while teaching," "presentation summarizes the key points," and "presentation links ideas effectively." Role play-based and live/simulated patient-based teachings were reported most frequently by both. Significantly, a higher proportion of the 6th term students and a lesser proportion of teachers were associated with the lowest tertiles for Domain 1, 2, and 3. Significantly, increased number of 8th term students were found in the higher tertiles in Domain 3. Conclusions: These findings have practical implications in identifying the gaps in effective teaching methods by the teachers. Teachers can improve their teaching methods by upgrading their presentation skills, employing new and innovative teaching skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study is to study the knowledge and awareness on autism among medical students and the factors which impact their knowledge on autism. Settings and Design: For the study, a multicenter cross-sectional research has been carried out among medical students in seven medical colleges in Mumbai. Subjects and Methods: A total of 201 final-year medical students from seven medical colleges in Mumbai completed the knowledge on childhood autism among healthcare workers (KCAHW) survey and a semi-structured pro forma. Of the 201 students, 152 are from the public medical colleges and 37 from the private medical colleges. Statistical Analysis Used: Data collected have been represented in the form of frequency and percentage. SPSS 20.0 is used to analyze the mean distribution of KCAHW scores. A value of P < 0.05 is regarded as statistically significant. Results: The total mean score in the KCAHW questionnaire is 11.85 ± 3.15 out of 19. This is considered as poor knowledge. Our study reveals that students' knowledge on autism is limited. Knowledge gaps identified in certain autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms are associated with the obsessive and compulsive repetitive pattern of behavior and that autism is associated with epilepsies. Conclusions: It is thus important that these children displaying ASD symptoms are diagnosed correctly and at the earliest. To enable this, doctors in all fields must be able to accurately identify the diagnostic features of autism both within and outside the four walls of the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The divorce rate in India is increasing. In some cases, divorce could result from psychopathology in one of the partners or in other cases may lead to major psychopathology. Therefore it is important to identify problems in marital adjustments. This study aims to find probable reasons for divorce, how people cope with it and whether any psychopathology is associated with it. A total of 100 respondents undergoing divorce were selected after obtaining their consent and interviewed using a semi-structured pro-forma, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, the Mechanisms of Coping Scale and the Symptom Checklist-90-R. Around 57% of divorce cases in our study were filed by women, 31% by men and 12% by mutual understanding. The primary reason for divorce in our respondents was interpersonal problems (34%). Marital adjustment was poor in 91.6% respondents, with a minimum score for dyadic cohesion and affectional expression. Fatalism, expressive action and problem solving were the commonly used coping methods. In all, 64% had significant psychopathology, with depression being the most common. Poor marital adjustment and emotion-based coping were associated with higher psychopathology, whereas parental support and having children were protective factors for psychopathology. Being in a ‘Love marriage’ was associated with good marital adjustment. Women outnumbered men in filing for divorce and in overall psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Context: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder with wide repercussions. Since it is etiologically related to delayed maturation, neurological soft signs (NSS) could be a tool to assess this. Further the correlation of NSS with severity and type of ADHD and presence of Specific Learning Disability (SLD) would give further insight into it. Aims: To study neurological soft signs and risk factors (type, mode of delivery, and milestones) in children with ADHD and to correlate NSS with type and severity of ADHD and with co-morbid Specific Learning Disability. Settings and Design: The study was carried out in Child care services of a tertiary teaching urban hospital. It was a cross-sectional single interview study. Materials and Methods: 52 consecutive children diagnosed as having ADHD were assessed for the presence of neurological soft signs using Revised Physical and Neurological Examination soft Signs scale (PANESS). The ADHD was rated by parents using ADHD parent rating scale. Statistical Analysis: The data was analyzed using the chi-squared test and Pearson's co-relational analysis. Results and Conclusions: Neurological soft signs are present in 84% of children. They are equally present in both the inattentive-hyperactive and impulsive-hyperactive types of ADHD. The presence of neurological soft signs in ADHD are independent of the presence of co-morbid SLD. Dysrrhythmias and overflow with gait were typically seen for impulsive-hyperactive type and higher severity of ADHD is related to more errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]